All Secular Forces Must Unite to Press for Restoration of Statehood: CPM leader MY Tarigami
Srinagar, February 17, 2025 – Senior CPM leader MY Tarigami has called for all secular forces to unite in pressing for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking at the party’s state conference in Jammu, Tarigami criticized the BJP for allegedly misleading the country with false propaganda regarding Article 370, which granted special status to the region and was revoked in August 2019.
Tarigami, who won the Assembly elections from Kulgam seat for the fifth consecutive term, emphasized the importance of respecting the people’s mandate and warned of serious consequences if it is not upheld. He stated, “We want democracy to prosper in Jammu and Kashmir. We appeal to all secular parties to come together and support us. This is not a question of one region or one community but the people of entire J&K and the people of Ladakh which was separated from us.”
In an apparent reference to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami joining the election fray in Kashmir, Tarigami mentioned that the use of “anti-national” elements could not help the ruling party at the Centre win the elections. He also highlighted the betrayal felt by the people of J&K following the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state.
Tarigami urged the people of Jammu not to be swayed by the “false propaganda” of the BJP in the name of development and nationalism. He pointed out that it was Maharaja who introduced the state subject laws in 1927 to protect land and jobs for the locals. “Nation is formed by its people and is not the name of mountains and streams. People in J&K and Ladakh are not happy, unemployment is highest and the stopping of darbar move has hit the economy of Jammu,” he added.
The CPM leader’s statement comes amid growing concerns over the political and economic situation in Jammu and Kashmir, with many calling for the restoration of statehood to address the region’s challenges.
